Alternative Music
Euphoria Glamorizes Drugs Says D.A.R.E., a Failed Program That Glamorized Drugs
Representatives of Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) have issued a statement accusing HBO’s Euphoria of glamorizing drugs. And they’re something of an expert on the subject, since D.A.R.E. led to a massive increase in drug use among students subjected to their program. The soapy HBO drama follows a motley group of teens, led by Zendaya, who chase various highs while navigating the pitfalls of high school. Season 2 is ongoing, and drugs remains a key plot point; in the first episode of the new series, Zendaya’s character overdoses on one drug, and then uses a second drug to stop herself from dying. Creator Sam Levinson based the series in part on his own youthful addiction, and sought to capture something “raw and honest,” in the series’ source materi...
Echo & The Bunnymen’s Will Sergeant on Post-Punk’s Early Days and Creating the Riff to “The Killing Moon”
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Will Sergeant sits down with Kyle Meredith to talk about his autobiography, Bunnyman, which tells his story from childhood up until Echo & The Bunnymen began making their first full album. Related Video The guitarist discusses how WWII and the Cold War had a strong influence on his coming-of-age and the music that he would create, pop culture’s importance in the last century, and how artists create their own mythology. Advertisement Sergeant also tells us about accidentally coming up with the riff to “The Killing Moon,” helping to create post-punk from punk, his distaste for the Echo & The Bunnymen’s most recent album,...
On Sale This Week: Bad Bunny, Bob Dylan, Interpol, The Decemberists, and More
Tour announcements and festivals continue to roll out — here’s the latest on tickets going on sale this week. Bad Bunny, continuing to smash streaming records, has confirmed an ambitious 29-date stadium tour. Meanwhile, Bob Dylan is resuming his extensive tour (currently set to run through 2024), and Sammy Hagar is planning a summer on the road with support from George Thorogood and the Destroyers. Get the details on these shows and more below. Bad Bunny: Get Tickets via Ticketmaster Bad Bunny is one of the biggest stars on the planet right now, and his upcoming “World’s Hottest Tour” is set to be one of the most in-demand tours of the year. His spring jaunt, “El Ultimo Tour Del Mundo,” sold out in record time — this string of arena summer dates is great news for fans who were unable to se...
BRUCE DICKINSON Admits He Gets Nervous Before IRON MAIDEN Concerts: ‘I Keep A Copy Of The Lyric Sheet Backstage’
During an appearance on a recent episode of the “Talk Is Jericho” podcast, hosted by FOZZY frontman and wrestling superstar Chris Jericho, IRON MAIDEN singer Bruce Dickinson admitted that he still suffers performance anxiety, or “stage fright” as it is more commonly known. “I get nervous right before I go on stage with IRON MAIDEN, especially at the beginning of a tour,” he said. “Once you’re sort of, like, five or six, seven shows into the tour, you’re kind of back into the routine. So you kind of know what’s gonna happen. But the big fear, especially for a singer, is that you walk on stage and open your mouth and garbage comes out, or nothing at all. And that’s irrational, but it’s valid. So just own up to it. I mean...
EDDIE VAN HALEN Remembered On What Would Have Been His 67th Birthday
Eddie Van Halen‘s family members and former bandmates have shared messages on social media in remembrance of the legendary VAN HALEN guitarist on what would have been his 67th birthday. Eddie‘s brother, VAN HALEN drummer Alex Van Halen, wrote: “Hey Ed, Happy birthday! May your light never dim. Love you, miss you and btw… Wolf is killin’ it.” Eddie‘s son Wolfgang Van Halen said: “Happy birthday, Pop. I love and miss you more than you could ever know.” Sammy Hagar wrote: “Happy birthday my dear friend, I sure do miss you. Thank God we still and always will have the music to celebrate. On this day 24 hours of VH in order.” VAN HALEN bassist Michael Anthony said: “Happy birthday Ed, I miss ya brother! You were such a huge ...
What Makes A Perfect SEPULTURA Show? ANDREAS KISSER Responds
In a new interview with Montreal Rocks, guitarist Andreas Kisser was asked what makes a “perfect SEPULTURA show.” He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It depends. There are so many variables during a day. I think the perfect show is when you really put everything out of the normal life or the normal day and you put yourself, during an hour and a half, in a different world and you really go to the stage and you go to a different place — you act different and you feel different. Every artist will tell you that. If you see somebody on stage, off stage is very different characteristics and atmosphere. So, once we are able to do that, that’s great — that we’re gonna enjoy ourselves and really sing the lyrics with our fans and lights and all the stuff...
KITTIE Announces Band Lineup For Reunion Shows
Canadian all-girl metallers KITTIE have confirmed the lineup of the band that will perform at Las Vegas’s When We Were Young festival this fall. Joining vocalist/guitarist Morgan Lander and drummer Mercedes Lander will be guitarist Tara McLeod and bassist Ivana “Ivy” Vujic. A member of KITTIE singer 2005, McLeod told Premier Guitar about her role in the band: “On the creative side of things, Morgan and I are very comfortable with each other because we’re both naturally very shy. We just don’t feel any sort of embarrassment showing each other an idea. And that makes for a much more relaxed writing session.” Morgan stated about Tara: “Tara is such a fabulous guitar player and is so invested in her instrument, and she also likes all different ge...
Three Men Embezzled $190,000 to Buy Boat Named After Harry Potter’s Favorite Spell
Expecto jailtonus! Three men embezzled $190,000 to buy a boat named “Expelliarmus,” which Harry Potter fans will recognize as the boy wizard’s favorite disarming spell. According to reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times, it’s part of the broader fallout of the 2017 Washington Federal Bank for Saving scandal in Bridgeport, Illinois. In addition to other shady practices, bank president John Gembara helped William A. Kowalski and his brother Robert Kowalski turn $0 into $190,000 through the dark magic of illegal accounting. Together, the trio purchased the “Expelliarmus” Sea Ray 420 Sundancer motor yacht with a down payment of $200,000, including a $190,000 Washington Federal check that William Kowalski endorsed over to the seller of the boat, plus $10,000 from one of the Kow...
Rihanna Donates $15 Million to Combat Climate Change
Rihanna sure does have a lot of money. Thankfully, she’s putting some of that cash to good use by donating $15 million to organizations fighting climate change. Back in 2012, Rihanna founded a nonprofit called the Clara Lionel Foundation, which funds “groundbreaking education and emergency preparedness and response programs around the world.” Her most recent hefty donation benefits the Climate Justice Alliance, the Indigenous Environmental Network, the Movement for Black Lives, and 15 other organizations which work to restore climate justice in the US and RiRi’s native Caribbean. “Climate disasters, which are growing in frequency and intensity, do not impact all communities equally, with communities of color and island nations facing the brunt of climate change,” Rihanna said in a statemen...
John Leguizamo Says He “Stayed Out of the Sun” So He Could Book More Roles
John Leguizamo acknowledged he used to stay out of the sun as much as possible in a deliberate effort to make booking roles easier as a “light-skinned” Latino. In a recent interview with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Leguizamo, who born in Colombia, said, “I stayed out of the sun so I could work. I definitely would not go in the sun for years. It was a conscious thing because I could work. And all the Latinos that made it so far, a lot of them were all light-skinned.” “[Darker-skinned Latinos] don’t get a shot, you know,” the actor continued. “So, there’s a lot of things we got to deal with in Hollywood, and we got to fix, and we got to speak out and we got to speak up.” Advertisement Related Video According to a USC study, only 7 percent of the top-grossing films from 2...
Spotify Sides with Joe Rogan Over Neil Young, Removes His Music
Spotify has begun the process of removing Neil Young’s music from its catalog. The move was done at the singer-songwriter’s request, who cited his disgust over the proliferation of “fake information about vaccines” on the streaming platform. Young specifically took issue with Spotify’s promotion of the Joe Rogan Experience, which has become a breeding ground for false COVID information. “I want all my music off their platform. They can have Rogan or Young. Not both,” Young wrote in an open letter sent to his management and record label on Monday. In a statement acknowledging Young’s request, a Spotify representative said, “We want all the world’s music and audio content to be available to Spotify users. With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom...
STEVE VAI On Impending Retirements Of DAVID LEE ROTH, DAVID COVERDALE: ‘These Guys Are Heroes’
Steve Vai spoke to the “Rock Of Nations With Dave Kinchen” classic rock show about the impending retirements of two of his former bandmates, ex-VAN HALEN singer David Lee Roth and WHITESNAKE leader David Coverdale. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “It’s really hard when you’re a singer, first of all. Once you start getting into your 50s, 60s, things change [with your vocal cords]. “These guys are heroes — they came and they delivered hard. And God bless ’em. And now that they’re at that point where they just wanna kind of gracefully bow out, I think that we should celebrate them.” Vai played with Roth on his 1986 album “Eat ‘Em And Smile” as well as its 1988 follow-up, “Skyscraper”. “Eat ...
